Lap Band gastric banding surgery is an effective tool in the management of severe obesity. The procedure is minimally invasive, typically performed laparoscopically, adjustable and removable if necessary. Similar to other forms of bariatric surgical treatment, what you do and don't eat after the procedure will directly affect its success. The strategy behind the lap band is that it creates a small pouch of stomach, thus allowing for only very small amounts of food to pass into the upper stomach--causing the sensation of being "full" to occur much sooner. From immediately after surgery and for the rest of your life, the lap band procedure will help to create long-lasting dietary and lifestyle changes, particularly in what and how much you should eat at any one sitting.
First Few Weeks, Post-Surgery
For the first 4 to 6 weeks after Lap Band Surgery, surgeons recommend a liquid diet. That's not to be confused with a clear liquid diet, which is substantially different. The liquid diet allows for post-operative swelling and inflammation to subside while promoting comfortable food intake and nutrition. In general, a liquid diet can include food items such as soups, flavored water, juices and milk.
Soft Diet for 2 to 3 Months
As healing progresses, the diet can be upgraded to a soft diet. Once at this level, foods such as mashed potatoes, cereals and puddings can be incorporated into the diet. One must be a bit careful while in the soft food phase; it isn't very difficult to "pack a lot of food in" because the soft nature of the food can be "pushed" down into the lower portion of the stomach fairly easily and the feeling of fullness takes longer to achieve.
Choosing Foods Wisely
Even though you're back on a regular diet, it doesn't mean there are no restrictions or rules to follow. Many foods will be difficult to "get down" and should be eaten sparsely or omitted altogether. Some people can eat steak; others are not able to. Chicken goes down better the more moist it is, so preparation is important. Certain fruits are more difficult to eat than others. Vegetables such as celery and asparagus shafts should be avoided, along with many steak varieties because of the risk of getting stuck. These veggies are quite stringy and have a lot of cellulose fibers that can be troublesome.
Portion Size
It's recommended that your new food portions amount to approximately 1/4 of your previous "normal portions." Typically, portion size is somewhere in the 4 oz. region. In order to get food down properly, it's also recommended that you spend at least 30 minutes eating your food.
Don't Drink During Meals
It is generally advised that drinking with meals is a bad idea in lap bad programs Drinking fluids while eating naturally pushes food into the lower portion of the stomach, past the band--and therefore delays the sensation of being full, allowing too much food to be eaten. These programs recommend that you may drink up to 30 minutes before a meal and should not resume until approximately 2 hours after eating.
No Carbonated Beverages
Many programs suggest that you say goodbye to carbonated beverages as a lap band recipient. The act of belching is strongly discouraged, due to the risk of displacing the band. Carbonation causes the stomach to "bloat" and when there is little room for that to occur, problems ensue.
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